Tool holder for surgical instruments



S. L. FISHER TOOL HLDR FO SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS original Filed June 11,195s oef. 2o, 1942.`

Patented Oct. 20, 1942 TOOL HOLDER FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Samuel LloydFisher, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original application June 11', 1938, Serial No. 213,115. Divided andthis application May 14, 1941, Serial No. 393,315

(Cl. 12S-317) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to surgical instruments in general and moreespecially to devices used in the medical profession in the treatment ofbone fractures and the like and constitutes a division of applicationSerial No. 213,115, filed June 11, 1938, issued June 10, 1931, asLetters Patent No. 2,244,683. l

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedcombination motor and tool holder suitable for receiving an attachmentfor operating a drill, Kirschner wire, saw or the like surgicalinstrument.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide animproved supporting guide for a Kirschner wire while being operated andthe like.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the inventionwill appear from the subjoined detail description of one specificembodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a Kirschner wire operatingattachment connected to the shell of the motor;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line |5|5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line lli-I6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental elevation of a portion of the main shell before atool operating attachment has been connected; and

Fig. 6- is a fragmental elevation of one of the guiding rods of theguide for the Kirschner wire illustrated in Fig. 1.

For high speed working such as when a Kirschner wire drill is to beoperated then preferably the extension 39 of the shell has connectedthereto an intermediate connecting device including a shell 40 on whichthere is rotatably mounted the intermediate shaft element 4| havingslots 42 with cammed jaws to receive the pins 25 of the shaft of themotor in the shell The intermediate shaft element 4| has a similar setof slots 43 with similar cammed jaws. The intermediate shaft element 4|is further anchored to rotate in the shell 40 by the screw 44 extendingthrough the extension 30 and the shell 40 and then into the annular slot45 of the intermediate shaft element 4|.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the intermediate shaft element4| will normally rotate with the shaft of the motor. On the other hand,when the motor is at rest and it is desired to anchor the intermediateshaft element 4| against rotation, the stop 46 is provided which extendsthrough the extensionl 39 and shell 40 `but is normally retained out ofengagement with the intermediate shaft element 4| by the spring 4'|. Itsinner end, however.. is adapted to be pressed into engagement with oneof the slots 42 to anchor the same against rotation when certainadjustments or assemblies are to be made hereinafter to be described. in

The shell 40, see particularly Fig. 18, is provided with cam slots 48 toreceive` suitable pins for connecting the shell 40 to the tool to beoperated.

In Fig. 1, the slots 43 of the intermediate portion 4| receive the pins88 of the spindle 80 which is rotatably mounted in the chambered block90. For securing the chambered block to the extension 40 a pin 9| isprovided in the ring 8l. By manipulation of the projections 84, 85 and86, the pin 0| may be moved over into the innermost position lof the camslot 48 for anchoring the block to the extension 40.

Preferably, as shown, when the spindle 80 is intended directly to engagethe tool to be manipulated, there will be provided integral with thespindle 89 a chambered extension 92 having an external screw thread 93to receive the clamping nut 94. The extension 92 is conformed to receivein the present instance three jaw elements 05 having cam faces 96 tocooperate with the inner cam faces of the clamping nut 94 and to receivebetween the three jaws 95 the drilling rod 0l or other drilling tool.The drilling rod in the present instance is shown as typical of the Wellknown Kirschner bone drilling wire.

Since the length of the Kirschner Wire 91 is not infrequently veryconsiderable, in order to support the same while it is being rotated inthe act of drilling, the supporting device now to be described isprovided.

'I'his supporting device consists essentially of three equally spacedcylindrical elements 08, 00 and |00 formed on the block 90 which areadapted to receive the outermost telescoping cylinders |0|, three innumber secured tothe bracket |02, which telescoping elementsY |0| inturn are adapted to receive the three telescoping elements |03 securedto the bracket |04 which in turn are adapted to receive the threetelescoping elements |05 secured to the brackets |06 and |01. Thebrackets |02, |04, |06 and |01 are in addition provided with a centralorifice to receive the drilling wire 91, see for instance the orifice|08 in the bracket |06.

In order to frictionally anchor the guiding rods |05 in the guidingelements |03 and, in

turn, the guiding elements |03 in the guiding elements IIlI preferably,see Fig. 19, slots are formed as an instance the slots |09 and III) withan intervening tongue III depressed resiliently to engage a rod elementand similarly the elements IOI provided with slots II2 and II3 with anintervening tongue II4 depressed resiliently to engage a guiding element|03.

When the wire drill is used, it is particularly desirous to have theWire 91 drill through a bone in a perfectly straight path sinceexperience has taught that in such cases the accompanying pain to thepatient when traction is made may be reduced to a minimum if notentirely .eliminated. With the present guiding elements IIlI, |53 andIE5 and the combination motor holder and instrument attachment, theoperating surgeon is merely called upon to hold the motor steady aftermaking contact. After the wire 91 has so been drilled through the bone,the ordinary Kirschner horse-shoe clamp may be used to maintain the wirestretched in a straight line 'and then the weight attached to thehorse-shoe clamp in the usual way.

Before the horse-shoe clamp aforesaid is attached in order to remove aWire 91 from the drilling attachment in some instances, the same is cutoff leaving a small portion in Vthe drilling attachment. In other cases,the guiding elements IIlI, |03 and |05 are moved away from the shell Ito clear the ring 81 whereupon the projections 84, 85 and 86 are engagedand turned. 'I'o prevent the wire 91 from turning during this procedure,the motor is -rst shut off and then the stop pin 46 engaged and pressedto enter one of the slots 42 whereupon the ring 81 can with facility beturned, and thereupon .the guiding elements `|0I, |03, |05 and wiredrill attachment removed whereupon the clamping nut 94 can be turned torelease the jaws 95 or else the nut 94 tur-ned to release the jaws 95before the ring 81 is turned.

I claim:

1. The combination of an electric motor having a shaft, a shellenclosing said motor and having a tubular extension for said motorshaft, a bone drilling wire, a removable unit mounted on said extensionand including means for anchoring one end of said wire to said motorshaft, said removable unit 'also including a locking ring for anchoringsaid unit to said extension and having a plurality of projections tofacilitate manipulation thereof, said unit also including a guidingdevice having la plurality of cylindrical. opening forming projectionsextending axially therewith and outside thereof, .and a plurality ofsets of tubes telescoping into one another and slidably mounted in theAprojections of said .guiding device, each set having a transverselyextending supporting bracket, the brackets being parallel to one anotherand yprovided with Valined openings to receive said wire and therebysupport the same during the rotary movement thereof, the projections of:said locking ring corresponding in number tothe telescoping tubes of aset and being spaced from one another to clear` the tubes during thetelescoping operation.

2. The combination `of an electric motor having a shaft, a shellenclosing said motor and having a tubular extension for said shaft, abone drilling wire, a removable unit including a chuck for operativelyassociating the end of said Wire to said shaft, said unit also includinga guiding device having a plurality of sets of tubes telescoping intoone another in front of said shell and outside of said extension, thetubes of each set being parallel to one another and substantiallyequidistant from one another and from a common center, and atransversely extending supporting bracket for each set of tubes, thebrackets being parallel to one another and provided with centralopenings registering with said common center to receive said Wire andthereby support the same during the rotary movement thereof.

3. The combination of an electric motor having a shaft, a shellenclosing said motor and having a tubular extension for said motorshaft, a bone drilling Wire, a removable unit including a chuck foroperatively associating one end of said wire to said motor shaft, saidremovable unit including a locking ring for anchoring said unit to saidextension and having a plurality of projections to facilitatemanipulation thereof, said unit also including a guiding device having aplurality of sets of tubes telescoping into lone another, the

tubes of each set being parallel to one another, and a transverselyextending supporting bracket for each set of tubes, the'brackets beingparallel to one another and provided with central openings to receivesaid wire andrthereby support the same during the rotary movementthereof, the projections of said locking ring corresponding in number tothe telescoping tubes of a set and being spaced from one another toclear the tubes during the telescoping operation.

4. In a surgical instrument, the combination of a main shell having acylindrical projection for receiving an electric motor with its shaftprotruding into sai-d projection, a bearing removably connected to saidprojection, a second shaft in said bearing, an intermediate connectingshaft in said bearing for operatively associating said second shaft withthe motor shaft, tool gripping jaws on said second shaft, a Kirschnerwire, a lock nut operatively associating said jaws and clamping the endof `said wire in said jaws, a guiding device operatively associated withsaid bearing and including a plurality of cylindrical opening formingprojections extending axially therewith mounted on said projection infront of said shell, and a plurality of sets of tubes telescoping intoone another and slidably mounted in the projections in said guidingdevice, each set having a transversely extending supporting bracket, thebrackets being parallel to one `another and provided with centralopenings to receive said wire and thereby support the same during therotary movement thereof.

5. In a surgical instrument, the combination of a main shell having acylindrical projection for receiving 'an electric motor with its shaftprotruding into said projection, a bearing removably connected to saidprojection, a second shaft in said bearing, an intermediate connectingshaft in said bearing for operatively associating Ysaid second shaftwith the motor shaft, tool gripping jaws on said second shaft, aKirschner wire, la lock nut operatively associating said jaws andclamping the end of said wire in said jaws, Va guiding deviceoperatively associated ywith said bearing and including a plurality ofcylindrical opening forming projections extending axially therewithmounted on said projection in front of said shell, and a plurality ofsets .of tubes telescoping into one another and slidably mounted in theprojections in said device, each set having a transversely extendingsupporting bracket, the brackets being parallel to one another andprovided with central openings to receive-said Wire and thereby supportthe same during the rotary movement thereof, the tubes being slit Withtongues formed thereby frictionally to engage one another in theirsuccessive adjusted positions.

6. In a surgical instrument, the combination of a main shell having acylindrical projection for receiving an electric motor With its shaftprotruding into said projection, an intermediate bearing removablyconnected to said projection, a main bearing, a lock nut for connectingsaid main bearing to said intermediate bearing, said lock nut having aplurality of projections to facilitate manipulation thereof, a secondshaft in said main bearing, an intermediate connecting shaft in saidintermediate bearing for operatively associating said second shaft withthe motor shaft, tool gripping jaws on said second shaft, a bonedrilling Wire, a second lock nut operatively engaging said jaws andclamping the end of said wire in said jaws, a guiding device operativelyassociated with said main bearimg and including a plurality ofcylindrical opening forming projections extending axially therewithmounted on said projection in front of said shell, and a plurality ofsets of tubes telescoping into one another and slidably mounted in theprojections in said device, each set having a transversely extendingsupporting bracket, the brackets being parallel to one another andprovided with alined openings to receive said Wire `and thereby supportthe same during the rotary movement thereof, the projections of saidfirst lock nut corresponding in number to the telescoping tubes of a setand being spaced from one another to clear the same during thetelescoping operation.

SAMUEL LLOYD FISHER.

